The present invention relates as indicated to a fastening device and a tool for releasing the same, and relates more particularly to a fastening device which can be attached to an article or articles in such a manner that the device can be separated only by the use of a special tool located for example, at a checkout point in a department store or the like. In accordance with the present invention, the fastening device is secured to an identification tag with the assembly in turn being temporarily secured to articles prior to the authorized handling and sale of such articles, at which time the identification tag and device can be removed from the article. The invention is thus highly useful for purposes of anti-theft detection in department stores and the like where the identification tag must be removed from the article purchased during the check-out process. If a person attemps to surreptitiously remove the article from the store without purchasing the same, the identification tag which remains attached to the article contains electric circuitry which triggers an alarm system at an exit point or points in the store.
The fastening device constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises an improvement over the fastening devise disclosed and claimed in pending App. Ser. No. 307,366, filed Nov. 17, 1972 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,280 issued Jan. 7, 1975 in the name of Martin A. J. Martens and entitled "Fastening Clip." In accordance with such earlier application, the fastening device likewise comprised a male component in the form of a pin and a female component in the form of a retainer resiliently mounted in a housing. The coupling of the pin to the retainer, with the pin extending through the article to be sold, precluded disengagement of the pin from the retainer except by a special tool. The construction of the retainer and housing was such as to permit activation of the retainer and consequent release of the pin either mechanically or magnetically. When mechanically activated, a detaching tool is inserted through a top opening in the housing in which the retainer is mounted for withdrawing the retainer to permit release of the pin. When magnetically activated, an electromagnet is positioned adjacent the same open end of the housing and the retainer, formed of magnetic material, is drawn toward the electromagnet thereby freeing the pin for removal from the retainer.
Although the fastening clip and described forms of activation in the noted application proved generally satisfactory, certain disadvantages did exist. In the form requiring mechanical activation, the use of the special tool is relatively time-consuming and required significant manual dexterity. In addition, the open end of the housing, required for mechanical activation, did not absolutely preclude tampering with the device in an effort to surreptitiously remove the device prior to checkout of the article.